"severe operating conditions" - service indicator at 7500km

[barrenjoey owl]

The engines are filled with a special running in oil that is not the 504/507 oil that is recommended for oil changes. This oil is suppose to stay in the engine for the first 15,000km.

Except under special conditions. take a look at your manual.



VW technican training.

Indeed?

Better yet, go here and ask.
Volkswagen Australia

Why would I go there?

Your service book tells you that your first oil change is 1 year/15,000km.

As per my earlier point, as per my service book which says " an Oil Change at 7,500 kms may be required for vehicles operating under severe driving conditions.

Now many would say that daily driving in stop start traffic, short runs etc meet the definition which you would no doubt be aware of as you're are "VW trained".

As I said go and have a look at the fuels and Lubrication section and ou'll learn a lot.

HTH

[Rob Burns]

Having lived in Canada where it can be -40 in the winter, +40 in the summer, heavily salted roads in winter and high humidity in the summer I have a good idea of what severe conditions are like for a car and the service requirements for such conditions.

I might consider short runs to be slightly more severe than normal operating conditions if the vehicle doesn't reach operating temperature simply because cars run richer when cold and the extra fuel washes the oil off the cylinder walls. Luckily for us it doesn't get cold here so cars warm up very quickly and the effects are reduced. Stop/start traffic is normal operating conditions. Show me a city in the world that doesn't have stop/start traffic.

The only thing we get here that I might consider severe is the dust in the bush. This would require more frequent air filter changes but not oil changes.

[The_Hawk]

If I remember correctly (the manual is in the car) "servere operating conditions" covers pretty much everything... in fact here is a scan:
(taken from a Multivan, but I'm sure it's much the same for the other vehicles too).




It would be interesting to see what trip the warning in the car though since half our driving is stop start city traffic to work but then some decent runs (like Dubbo or Melbourne) as well.

[hooba]

Thank you for your post which doesn't answer the question I asked. You posted information about your own experience which seems to me if accurate that you got ripped for $99.00.

May I suggest you take a look at the Fuel and Lubricants section of this forum which has a wealth of information about oil changes which will indicate that a 7500km oil change is of GREAT benefit to TDIs in particular.

Thank you for your argumentative reply. You posted incorrect information about my post, as I never stated that I had actually spent the $99 and bothered with the suggested 7500km. My point was that the dealer service was more than happy to take my $99 for a phantom service, but did not want anything to do with taking my money for performing an early oil change.

May I suggest that you chillax and take a less confrontational approach when posting, which will be of GREAT benefit to others on this forum.

[The_Hawk]

Considering the hourly rate charged by the dealers $99 isn't all that bad by the time they put the car on the hoist, scan it and go over whatever it is they do. Even more reasonable if they actually change anything (like the air filter). I have heard people quoted that much just to have the car scanned for codes and cleared.

[hooba]

Considering the hourly rate charged by the dealers $99 isn't all that bad by the time they put the car on the hoist, scan it and go over whatever it is they do. Even more reasonable if they actually change anything (like the air filter). I have heard people quoted that much just to have the car scanned for codes and cleared.

I was told that it pretty much a "put it on the hoist and have a look" service.

[ope126]

The engines are filled with a special running in oil that is not the 504/507 oil that is recommended for oil changes. This oil is suppose to stay in the engine for the first 15,000km.



VW technican training.

Better yet, go here and ask.
Volkswagen Australia



Your service book tells you that your first oil change is 1 year/15,000km.

Rob Burns,

Looks like you have some "Real World" experience here.
I will not flame you down.

Your information is very informative and good to know.
However could you please tell me / point me in the right direction as to where I would find written evidence from Volkswagen Australia that if I change my oil pre 15,000kms/1yr my engine warranty will be void.

Hopefully your dealership is not connected with the dealerships that have changed my oil pre 15,000km / 1 yr on my previous VW's...

It is always good to get some technical know how.

Thanks for your input Rob and I look forward to even more input from a "Techs" perspective in future posts.

[Rob Burns]

Rob Burns,

Looks like you have some "Real World" experience here.
I will not flame you down.

Your information is very informative and good to know.
However could you please tell me / point me in the right direction as to where I would find written evidence from Volkswagen Australia that if I change my oil pre 15,000kms/1yr my engine warranty will be void.

Hopefully your dealership is not connected with the dealerships that have changed my oil pre 15,000km / 1 yr on my previous VW's...

It is always good to get some technical know how.

Thanks for your input Rob and I look forward to even more input from a "Techs" perspective in future posts.

I added a link to contact VW Australia in the post you quoted. I recommend you fill it out and ask them yourself.

I'd like to think my dealership is not connected to whoever did your oil change before their time. If the dealer did an oil change without informing you that you've voided your warranty wouldn't they technically own any future mechanical issues the engine might have? Don't go quoting me on that one though. Perhaps another question for VWA via the contact page.

[barrenjoey owl]

I added a link to contact VW Australia in the post you quoted. I recommend you fill it out and ask them yourself.

I'd like to think my dealership is not connected to whoever did your oil change before their time. If the dealer did an oil change without informing you that you've voided your warranty wouldn't they technically own any future mechanical issues the engine might have? Don't go quoting me on that one though. Perhaps another question for VWA via the contact page.

Rob you really have put yourself in a hole here.

Despite the fact many posters have disagreed with you, that evidence from a user manual recommending Oil Changes before 15,0000ks or 12months you try and deflect this by telling people they should check with VWA. May I suggest that YOU use the contact page or go to your Service Manager if you do indeed work at a VWA dealer(????) . If you are "VW trained" which at this stage is not completely apparent, your asertion that driving conditions in Australia don't meet ths criteria is clearly false and misleading. Any VW tech would know your statement is C**p.

We're all here to help each other, posting spurious information does no one any good especially you.

Regards

PS My posts have been polite and to the point.

[hooba]

PS My posts have been polite and to the point.

Wow, I'd love to see them when they're aggressive and argumentative.

[Transporter]

Hmm, he was certainly to the point.

[ope126]

Just got off the phone with VW Customer Assist; 1800 607 822. They have advised that the warranty will be in no way affected if you choose to change the oil outside the 1yr / 15,000km service. They once again can't stress enough the importance of VW Approved oils. The lady actually laughed at me when I mentioned that this was brought up on an VW enthusiast website (voiding engine warranty).

Anyone else feel like making a call also?

[barrenjoey owl]

Just got off the phone with VW Customer Assist; 1800 607 822. They have advised that the warranty will be in no way affected if you choose to change the oil outside the 1yr / 15,000km service. They once again can't stress enough the importance of VW Approved oils. The lady actually laughed at me when I mentioned that this was brought up on an VW enthusiast website (voiding engine warranty).

Anyone else feel like making a call also?

Maybe Robbie will when he comes out of hiding???

[nutttr]

On a slightly more topic related note, I've looked everywhere and cannot find my damn vagcom cable! I intended on checking out the computer to see what it had as the issue! But I had to go second best and pull the air filter to see if it was full of gunk.

It wasn't! But it is a definite dark shade and is not the bright yellow it would be when new. Definitely had a lot of what looks like diesel soot and blackish dirt in it. So my guess is it's coming close to needing a replacement, so that may be the issue. It doesn't look dirty enough to be restricting flow, but the computer is probably fairly sensitive so it could have picked up a change.

Hopefully in the next week or so I'll find my cable and be able to check the codes and the service interval setting!

[nutttr]

Checked today, set at 7,500km interval and 182 days for the service!

At least it's not my driving causing it!